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I got a new battery.
I managed to start the engine by using a thick jumperwire from the pos battery pole to the glowplugs. WD 40 helped also :-)
The startmotor seems to be normal.

BUT: if i try use the glowplugs the normal way, the relais switches off after 20 seconds...
Its a relais from Ford cars rated for 70 amps.

I will order a new relais online.

I had a VW diesel. IIRC, the glow plug relay would hold for about 10 seconds and then shut off and stay off for a minute or so. As we were often in very cold weather, I Installed a separate switch to a separate solenoid which fed battery to the glow plugs so I could over ride the automatic switch. Never had to glow much more than 10 seconds, but it allowed me to try again, if needed, without waiting.

Paul T

05-07-2013 06:25 PM

Stu Jackson

Re: Restart is hard after the winter

1. Release the glow plug button before you hit the start button. Do NOT hold them both down at the same time.

2. You may have a glow plug solenoid (relay) installed. For your M25 engine, it is an aftermarket addition since they did not come with the engines. I installed one on our boat, it's a cheap Ford solenoid. You might be interested in this and other subjects in our C34 Critical Upgrades: CRITICAL UPGRADES - DO THESE OR ELSE!!!

I have a lingering doubt over the glowplugs themselves... 20s of heating should be enough to get the engine started. They do have a tendency to age and become less and less effective... if problems persist I would consider replacing them. The price should be reasonable from a Kubota parts supplier (not a marine supplier)

05-07-2013 04:24 PM

hellosailor

Re: Restart is hard after the winter

bart, it sounds like your Ford relay is a starter motor relay. Those normally do not have any type of timer or thermal overload protection built into them, so if it is switching off there may be another component that is cutting off power. A thermal breaker or a timer perhaps?

05-07-2013 03:41 PM

bartvdv

Re: Restart is hard after the winter

I got a new battery.
I managed to start the engine by using a thick jumperwire from the pos battery pole to the glowplugs. WD 40 helped also :-)
The startmotor seems to be normal.

BUT: if i try use the glowplugs the normal way, the relais switches off after 20 seconds...
Its a relais from Ford cars rated for 70 amps.

I will order a new relais online.

04-25-2013 04:29 AM

bartvdv

Re: Restart is hard after the winter

I have bled the screw right next to the injector body, the flow is nice constant and not bubbling.

The voltage is 10V when heating the three glow plugs, when starting only it is a bit higher.

The last thing i did on the boat was fuddling around with the start panel (rebedding), but electrically i see everything is working.

I wil wait for my new battery for now.

04-24-2013 04:07 PM

MarkSF

Re: Restart is hard after the winter

10V is a healthy voltage while cranking. It is not such a healthy voltage while just the glow plugs are on.

I have a 3 cyl Kubota, and I can tell you with hot glow plugs and a healthy battery it will start up as soon as I think about touching the start button.

You don't need starter fluid, or a new battery (given that you say it turns over healthily, you need to methodically figure out what the problem is. You need compression, fuel, air, and maybe some heat, and it will start. Find out which one is missing.

The clue might be in the history. What did you do last?

You say there is no air in the fuel. How do you KNOW? I suggest bleeding from the screw right on the fuel injection pump body. This would be my very first step if my engine turned over but did not start.

04-24-2013 03:54 PM

bartvdv

Re: Restart is hard after the winter

Fuel is clear of air, seems OK.
i tried my house battery to start the engine, but the effect was the same: the reading voltage on glowplugs is only 10,5 V (maybe the house battery is also shot...)
I also bridged the glow plug relais manually, but the effect was the same.
I tried also the WD40, to no avail.

I ordered a new battery to sum things up :-)

04-20-2013 07:57 AM

JimsCAL

Re: Restart is hard after the winter

Did you change the fuel filters? If you did and got air in and didn't bleed the system, it won't start.

04-19-2013 12:05 PM

hellosailor

Re: Restart is hard after the winter

12.7 volts at rest, 24 hours since the last charging, would be a 100% perfectly good "12" volt battery.

"It turns over nicely" seems to confirm this.

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